Amazon MP3 to Go Global

When Amazon MP3 launched last year, you can bet it was looked upon by Apple as just another minor threat to iTunes' dominance. But with the signing of Sony BMG, Amazon is the only retailer selling DRM-free music from all four major music labels. And now it's a major threat.

Today Amazon announced that Amazon MP3 is going global, spreading DRM-free music worldwide.

"We have received thousands of e-mails from Amazon customers
around the world asking us when we will make Amazon MP3 available
outside of the U.S. They can't wait to choose from the biggest
selection of high-quality, low-priced DRM-free MP3 music downloads
which play on virtually any music device they own today or will own in
the future," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice President of Digital
Music. "We are excited to tell those customers today that Amazon MP3
is going international this year."

Unfortunately, Amazon couldn't pin it down to less than the rest of 2008. That's kind of a big window (and a big window of opportunity for Apple).